Man charged over alleged April Jones Facebook trolling

Lancashire police arrested a man on Saturday for allegedly offensive remarks he posted on Facebook about missing five-year-old April Jones from Machynlleth, Wales.

Officers said they had arrested and later charged Matthew Wood, 20, of Eaves Lane, Chorley, "with sending by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive" under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003.

Wood, who remains in custody, is expected to appear at Chorley Magistrates Court today.

46-year-old Mark Bridger, who is suspected of abducting and murdering April Jones, has appeared in Aberystwyth Magistrates Court this morning to hear charges put to him.

The child remains missing.

Last month, the director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer confirmed that he would hold consultation with Brit citizens on social media cases involving trolls who take to sites and openly attack individuals with abusive messages and posts. ®